Oilers headed into busy week.

TULSA, OK--The Tulsa Oilers are currently sitting at 2-1-1 with 5 points tied for 3rd place the the CHL’s Berry Conference and fresh off of a somewhat successful road trip that saw only one win in three games away from the amazing BOK Center.

After winning 4-1 in Wichita against the Thunder on their opening night, the Oilers dropped a 6-4 decision to Bossier Shreveport last Tuesday in their only visit to the CenturyTel Center this season, and then the 2-1 overtime loss in Bloomington on Saturday night.  Beginning tomorrow night, the Oilers are headed into a stretch of four games, both home and home series, with rivals in the Turner Conference of the Central Hockey League.

It all begins with Colorado at home.

On Tuesday the Oilers return home to face the Colorado Eagles, who are in a three-way tie for first place in the CHL’s Turner conference with the Dayton Gems and the Bloomington Prairie Thunder at 3-1-0 and six points. Colorado comes into the game after a 5-2 win over the defending champion Rapid City Rush at home last Friday night.

Scott May was the hero in that game for the Eagles, scoring a hat trick against the rush. Overall veteran Riley Nelson leads Colorado on the season score sheet with 9 points on four goals and five assists in four games played. May is only a point behind him with eight points on 6 goals and 2 assists in four games.

A new Pipeline??

In the tradition of the now legendary Oilers line of Doug Lawrence, Luc Beausolril and Craig Coxe…known in their heyday by Oilers fans as “The Pipeline” a new scoring line is developing that might have the same potential. T

The points book is currently being co-authored by three players for Tulsa. Jack Combs, Harrison Reed and Chad Costello have scored the majority of the Oilers goals and assists so far in the young season. In four games the 22 year old forward who hails from St. Louis, Missouri has scored 4 goals and an assist, his big night coming against Bossier last Tuesday evening in Bossier, where he scored two goals. In all, Combs has an even 4 goals and assists for a team-leading 8 points.

Harrison Reed was the story early on in Tulsa’s home opener on October 15th against Wichita, scoring the first two goals of the season for the Oilers. Since then he’s been the man for the helpers, notching four assists in three games with his big night also in the CenturyTel Center last Tuesday night when he had three assists. Reed is an AHL assignee from Lake Erie, and is a 3rd round draft pick (93rd overall) of the Carolina Hurricanes from the 2006 entry draft.

Reed is tied with Chad Costello with six points overall so far this season, and his efforts have been solid throughout. In four games the Johnston, Iowa native has three goals and three assists, his big night for goals against Bossier and the night he helped out the most was in the opener where he scored the 4th goal and had two assists. Costello spent last season in Corpus Christi.

Back on the dusty trail.

The Oilers will head out to Ft. Collins for another game with Colorado in the Budweiser Events Center on October 29th, then they will head across Kansas to Wichita for a third helping of some Thunder. The Oilers are 2-0 against Wichita this season, who are struggling with an 0-4 start to the season. After losing the opening weekend games to Tulsa the Thunder dropped games to Missouri and Allen last weekend.

Leading the Thunder in scoring is Jesse Bennefield. Bennefield has three goals and an assist for 4 points in four games. Goalie Ian Keserich is 0-3 with a 4.03 Goals Against Average, while in relief former Oilers net minder Marty Magers has the other loss and a 2.06 GAA. The Oilers will then return to the friendly confines of the BOK for a Halloween afternoon matchup with the Thunder.

The Oilers will face off at 7:05pm in the BOK Center against the Eagles on Tuesday night. Game time on Sunday afternoon will be at 4:05pm.

Sunday’s game will be prefaced by a game by the Tulsa Rampage at 12:30pm, where they will take on the El Paso Rhinos.

Tuesday night is the Oilers first $2 Tuesday of the season, with beer and pop available for $2 with military and college discounts also available.

Tickets are available at the BOK Center box office or by calling 918-632-PUCK (7825).

Photo by Kevin Pyle.